The bionorthTX Board of Directors has announced that Darlene M. Boudreaux, executive director for TechFW from 2006 through September 2018, as the recipient of the 2018 Dennis Stone Award.
The Dennis K. Stone Award is presented annually by bionorthTX to an individual who has positively affected quality of life by raising awareness and funds for life science research, who has impacted innovation to bring discoveries to commercial relevance, and who has given back to their community and those in the scientific field as a supporter, mentor, leader, or educator, the organization said in a news release.
Boudreaux retired in September and Hayden Blackburn was promoted to executive director, effective Saturday Sept. 15. Boudreaux will continue part-time as one of the coaches for TechFW clients, especially those in the life science industry.
TechFW is a nonprofit technology incubator supported by the University of North Texas Health Science Center, University of Texas at Arlington, the City of Fort Worth and the local business community.
The bionorthTX announcement said Boudreaux created programs to help entrepreneurs get their companies off the ground, working with successful startups such as ZS Pharma (acquired by AstraZeneca in 2015) and Encore Vision (acquired by Novartis in 2016).
In 2012, she also created the Cowtown Angels to bring local angel investors together to consider investments in local entrepreneurial ventures. During her time with TechFW, Boudreaux coached more than 100 companies from technology protection to sales and helped many others pitch to prospective investors, news release said.
Recipients of the Stone Award a minimum possess the following attributes:
– Will have served as an active champion of the region as a place to build successful life science businesses.
– Will have contributed to the formation or growth of a North Texas-based life science business.
– Will have generously contributed their time or money to help the North Texas life science community.
– Will have inspired or mentored others to make their own contribution to the North Texas life science industry.
Past recipients of the Dennis Stone Award (originally known as the Double Helix Award):
2015: Phil Ralston, CEO and Co-Founder of MacuCLEAR.
2016: Dennis K. Stone, Chief Scientific Officer of Remeditex Ventures.
2017: Lyda Hill, Philanthropist and Entrepreneur (Dennis K. Stone Award).
The award will be presented by the 2017 recipient, Lyda Hill, at the Fourth Annual iC3 Life Science Summit Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018, at the University of Texas at Arlington.
Learn more about the iC3 Life Science Summit: conta.cc/2QkJBF1
– FWBP Staff